I’ve been craving cookies with lots of oats and nuts lately, specifically, Monster Cookies. But since I already have so many Monster Cookies recipes I decided to try something a little different — Butterscotch Walnut Oat Bars. Unlike my favorite Monster Cookies, these Butterscotch, Walnut Oat Bars do not have peanut butter and are baked in bar form.
Butterscotch Walnut Oat Bars are similar to Blondies, but with more oats and varying textures. They are made in one bowl and baked in a 9×13 inch pan. For a half batch version, you can bake them in an 8 inch square pan.
Recipe

Butterscotch Walnut Oat Bars
An easy one bowl bar cookie made with butterscotch chips, cereal and oats
Ingredients
- 1 stick 4 ounces unsalted butter
- 1 cup very firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt or 1/4 if using salted butter
- 1 cup 4.5 ounces all-purpose flour
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats not instant
- 1 1/4 cup rice cereal Krispies
- 1 cup chopped and toasted walnuts nuts
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9 inch pan with foil and spray foil with cooking spray.
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl. When melted, add the brown sugar to the hot butter and stir well. Stir in the granulated sugar, honey, vanilla and egg just until mixed. Beat in the baking powder and salt; stir in the flour. When well mixed, stir in the oats, cereal, nuts and butterscotch chips.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until bars appear set. Let cool completely in the pan, then lift from pan and cut into bars
Notes
You can use chocolate chips instead of butterscotch chips. For a half batch, use an 8 inch square pan and cut all the ingredients in half. For the egg, that means using 2 tablespoons lightly beaten. The time should be reduced to about 18 to 20 minutes. To toast the nuts, just lay them on a baking sheet and bake at 350F for about 6 to 8 minutes or until aromatic.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Sue
I made these and we like them a lot. I especially like the texture of them. I’d like to try subbing chocolate chips for half of the butterscotch or subbing toffee bits and chocolate chips like someone else suggested.
Jennifer
Congratulations on your cookbook! That is so exciting and I will definitely purchase it for myself and as a Christmas gift for my family and co-workers.
nancy baggett
Congrats on your upcoming book–the best of luck with it.
I love the brown sugar-butterscotch kind of bar. Those looks very tasty–in fact I wish you could e-mail me one right now.
Katrina
My family doesn’t like butterscotch, I still hold that and the whole cake/frosting thing against them. But I love the idea of butterscotch M&M’s, they are making all kinds. You hear that M&M people!
And yay about the book, I was wondering how long until you made an official announcement. Already preordered one.
Anna
Devin, thanks again for trying the cookies and making those changes. I may try your version and use chocolate chips and chopped up Heath bars rather toffee bits. Or maybe I’ll just get the toffee bits, as I’ve also been looking for an excuse to make Christie Cookies
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2010/03/doubletree-copy-cats-aka-christie-cookies/
And thanks for the well wishes on the book! I really hope everyone likes it. Plus you all know where to find me if you have questions about a recipe :).
Nancy
Congratulations Anna! I am looking forward to getting the cookbook and seeing all your clever recipes. I can’t even imagine how much work it must have been to come up with 365 unique cookies!
Devin
I made these for a family party. I subbed in chocolate chips and toffee bits for the butterscotch (we’re not big butterscotch fans). They absolutely loved them. Thanks for a great recipe!
karen
congratulations Anna! I’m so excited about your book!
Carol
Oh, that is so great about the cookie cookbook. I can’t wait to get it. I love that you have a picture for each cookie. I hate cookbooks with very few pictures. The release date will be perfect for holiday baking.
Laura Dembowski
These bars look amazing and have all my favorite ingredients in them. I second the idea for butterscotch M&Ms. Can we get a petition for those going or something? 🙂
Anna
Wow! That’s great news, Gloria!! For anyone interested in the recipe, here’s the link.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2012/04/gluten-free-almond-butter-brownies/
Gloria
BTW, your Almond butter Gluten free brownies (adjusted a bit by me) won a 1st place blue ribbon at the Anoka County Fair-the largest county fair in MN. Thanks!
Gloria
Can’t wait to see the new cook book!!! These bars look amazing and a bit healthy too!
Rebecca
Congrats on the new cookbook! I look forward to seeing it.
Chewthefat
@Adam–I made bar cookies as well today…there must be something in the air…the butterscotch bars look wonderful ‘as is’ although part of me wonders if they would be good with some crushed Butterfingers or Heath Bars…
Martha in KS
Congrats on the new cookbook. There was discussion about it on CLBB – wondering when it was going to be released.
Sue
These look really good to me too! I’ve had blondies on the brain lately. These look like they’d do the trick but be something different.
Adam
These look so good. I’ve been looking for a new bar cookie. I too have had a hankerin’ for some oats, and I think, given some time I might actually bake these up tomorrow :). Although knowing me (which I do) I’ll probably make the typically insane Adam-style adjustments :).